The Cure triptych (2014)

"The Cure" triptych 2014

"The Cure" is a reference to the basic tenet of psychological counseling-- that talking can function as a cure for ailments of the spirit. This piece was conceived after the end of a long-term, emotionally-damaging relationship, in reference to the process of healing I went through in order to move forward. "In the Vale" refers to my return to my hometown in the Shenandoah Valley, the song lyric "the little brown church in the vale" (and implications of marriage/relationships and spirituality therein), as well as the antiquated concept of someone born with "the veil," meaning that they have a kind of second sight-- an ability to perceive beyond mere words; in this case into emotions and inner motivations. This quality is one often possessed by or associated with women, and in my summer of healing, I spent a lot of time talking with a lot of women. "Threshing Floor" refers to this aspect of the talking cure-- the idea of separating the wheat from the chaff (an agricultural process), of separating what is useful for the future from what is unnecessary for progress or healing. "Constellation" refers to the wisdom the comes from experience, often equated with age, which can serve as a guide for the path ahead-- one that is particularly needed in times of darkness and pain.